As every golfer knows, putting is the most difficult part of the game.
Many inventors have developed putting aids. Examples of many different types of putting aids are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 12,905; Des. 83,178; Des. 199,575; Des. 136,173; Des. 204,891; Des. 219,391; Des. 211,651; 957,387; 1,338,963; 1,615,982; 2,836,422; 3,048,405; 3,081,090; 3,086,779; 3,820,786; 4,505,478 and 4,783,071.
More particularly, Schmermund U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 83,178, Crupi Des. 199,575 and Posnick Des. 219,391 are representative of the large body of art showing designs for golf game boards. Schermund No. '178 illustrates a game board of negligible thickness.
Candor U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,786 is of interest since it discloses page means of no substantial thickness showing two different views of golf holes respectively on opposite sides thereof.
Riethmiller U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,478 is also of interest, since it discloses an embodiment consisting of an actual photograph.
The other patents mentioned above are also of interest for their disclosures relating to golf games, putting, simulated golf holes, putting targets, and distance measuring graphics.
Some of the most difficult putts are those putts from three feet. Another difficult putt is the ten foot putt. None of the inventions heretofore developed are specifically designed to help golfers practice these difficult putts. Instead, all of the known putting aids are quite generic in their application, i.e., the golfer can practice putting while positioned any desired distance from the putting aid, but the devices heretofore known simply do not give the golfer the type of simulation of real life that can be carried over from the living room to the golf course.
Moreover, the prior art taken as a whole, vast as it is, neither teaches nor suggests a device that simulates the actual appearance of a real golf hole on a real golf course.